A Mammoth Winter Storm Blankets Central US, Disrupting Travel and Causing Power Outages
A wide swath of central United States is battered by a powerful winter storm on Sunday, January 5, 2025, as a system packing heavy snow and high winds sweeps eastward, paralyzing terrestrial and aerial transportation, and other activities from Kansas City to Washington D.C.
Around a dozen states, from Kansas to New Jersey, were placed under winter storm alerts by the National Weather Service (NWS) in the afternoon. Meanwhile, potential tornados and threats of bitter cold temperatures loomed in southern regions.
This winter storm left snow-covered roads and flight disruptions, with approximately 6,200 delays and 1,500 cancellations in flights originating or destined for the U.S. More than 60 million people are under alert, with states like Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky being the hardest hit by the arctic cold wave, which brought snow, ice, rain, and strong winds.
Local leaders warned residents against traveling, with many roads covered in ice or snow, stranding vehicles, and resulting in numerous accidents. Missouri alone reported 285 crashes with 27 injuries today, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X.
According to FlightAware, the airports most affected by cancellations are St. Louis and Kansas City in Missouri, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas, and Chicago O’Hare in Illinois, which have accumulated hundreds of delays throughout the day.
More than 100,000 Homes Without Power
The inclement weather also caused power outages affecting more than 110,000 homes, with the majority in Kentucky (44,700) and Missouri (32,200), and to a lesser extent in Illinois (21,800), Texas (12,700), and Louisiana (9,500), as detailed by the PowerOutage portal.
The NWS warns that the storm will move from the central plains of the U.S. toward the East Coast in the following hours, with significant snow accumulations expected in a band from Ohio to Washington D.C. In the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, at least 15 centimeters of snow are expected tomorrow, leading the mayor, Muriel Bowser, to declare an emergency and close public schools.
The NWS also notes that the warmest part of the storm, moving toward the east tonight and passing through Arkansas and Louisiana toward Mississippi and Alabama, may bring strong thunderstorms capable of generating tornados and very damaging winds.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy joined other states in declaring a state of emergency today, warning of at least 15 centimeters of snow in southern counties.
Stay informed and stay safe as this winter storm continues its eastward march.
